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Huanglongbing (HLB) is one of the most devastating citrus diseases worldwide. It is associated with the non-culture bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter spp., which can be transmitted by grafting and/or the psyllid vectors Diaphorina citri (ACP) and Trioza erytreae (AfCP). Although HLB has not been reported in the Mediterranean Basin to date, both vectors are present, and thus represent a serious threat to the citrus industry in this region. Resistant citrus cultivars or effective therapeutic treatments are not currently available for HLB. Nevertheless, area-wide pest management via coordinated management efforts over large areas has been implemented in Brazil, China and the USA for HLB control. This study proposes an open access flexible methodology to address area-wide management of both HLB vectors in the Mediterranean Basin. Based on a risk-based approach which considers climatic information and other variables that may influence vector introduction and spread, such as conventional, organic, abandoned and residential citrus areas as well as transportation corridors, an area-wide management division in pest management areas (PMAs) is proposed. The size and location of these PMAs were estimated by means of a hierarchical clustering algorithm with spatial constraints whose performance was assessed under different configuration scenarios. This proposal may assist policymakers and the citrus industry of the citrus-growing areas of the Mediterranean Basin in risk management planning in the case of the spread of HLB vectors or a possible introduction of the disease. Additionally, it may be a valuable resource to inform opinion dynamic models, enabling the identification of pivotal factors for the success of control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document provides the conclusions of the pest survey card that was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M‐2020‐0114) at the request of the European Commission. The full pest survey card for Elsinoë australis, E. citricola and E. fawcettii is published and available online in the EFSA Plant Pest Survey Cards Gallery at the following link and will be updated whenever new information becomes available: https://efsa.europa.eu/plants/planthealth/monitoring/surveillance/elsinoe-australis-citricola-fawcettii [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the request of the European Commission, EFSA has prepared these specific guidelines to guide the surveyor through the design of statistically sound and risk‐based surveys for Agrilus planipennis, integrating the key biological information. Based on examples, three different survey designs are simulated: (i) detection surveys to substantiate pest freedom, (ii) delimiting surveys to determine the boundaries of an infested zone, and (iii) buffer zone surveys to monitor a zone that ensures pest detection at low prevalence. The first step of the survey design consists of defining the objectives of the survey, characterising the host plant population and the methods used to detect the pest.The corresponding survey parameters are set while taking into account the importance of the underlying assumptions. The robustness of the survey conclusions will depend on the quality of the information used in this first step. The second step of the survey design consists of the sample size (i.e. number of traps) estimation using the survey parameters as inputs tothe proposed statistical tool (EFSA RiBESS+). The final step of the survey design is the allocation of the sample size in the survey area which depends on the available information about the target population and risk factors. The proposed methodology allows surveys to be compared across time and space, thus contributing to the harmonisation ofA. planipennissurveillance across the EU. The flexible approach allows surveys to be tailored to the specific situation in a Member State, taking into account the ash tree distribution and available resources. Thesuccess of a good survey design relies on the survey preparation and on the involvement of the risk managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This pest survey card was prepared in the context of the EFSA mandate on plant pest surveillance (M‐2017‐0137), at the request of the European Commission. The purpose of the document is to assist the Member States to plan annual survey activities of quarantine organisms using a statistically sound and risk‐based pest survey approach, in line with current international standards. The data requirements for such an activity include the pest distribution, its host range, its biology and risk factors, as well as available detection and identification methods. This document is part of a toolkit that consists of pest‐specific documents, such as the pest survey cards, and generic documents relevant for all pests to be surveyed, including the general survey guidelines and statistical software such as RiBESS+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]